BigFuture scholarship stuns Gateway senior

At one point in preparing to further his education after high school, Gateway senior Rocco Matrazzo submitted information online for College Board’s BigFuture program.

The specifics were kind of hazy for him when he was called to the auditorium stage during an Aug. 25 back-to-school assembly, but they ended up paying off handsomely.

“Rocco did something very simple,” Cassandra Allen, College Board K-12 director, told the audience. “He did log into BigFuture, and he created a college list. He created a list of six schools that he’s interested in attending.”

And that made him eligible for a financial boost.

“We’ve had throughout Pennsylvania, specifically, hundreds and hundreds of students who have won $500 scholarships,” Allen said as she invited Rocco’s parents, Bryan and Kelly, up front.

Then she surprised practically everyone in attendance, especially the Matrazzos:

“Well, I bet you will remember this. Rocco, you have won a scholarship for $40,000.”

Principal Justin Stephans produced a ceremonial check as the crowd cheered, members of the high school band played a celebratory cadence and Rocco hugged his mom.

Allen explained why he received 80 times what he probably was expecting.

“Every month, we pull out two names for a $40,000 scholarship. This is the seventh time in Pennsylvania that I have made this announcement,” she said, noting that the College Board awards about $3 million “to students like you, to do something very simple.”

That means students don’t have to write essays, or have a minimum grade point average or SAT score. They just complete the necessary BigFuture steps, and the earlier they start doing so, the more chances they have to win.

As for the benefits of participating, beyond the possibility of winning a scholarship:

“BigFuture includes information on over 1,000 careers along with a quiz to point you toward careers that match your interests,” the program’s website states. “Finding out what jobs pay, what the work is like, and what education or skills you’ll need will help you understand your options.”

The nonprofit College Board was founded in 1900 to expand access to higher education. The organization also provides research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools.

For more information about BigFuture, visit bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/bigfuture-scholarships.